Alaska Small Claims Court Forms: SC-1, SC-2, SC-4 and More

The Forms You'll Actually Need

Alaska's small claims system uses standardized forms published by the Supreme Court. They're all available as free PDFs on the Alaska Court System forms portal. Here's the order you'll encounter them in a typical case.

Form SC-1 (Complaint) — This starts your case. You fill in the court location, both parties' names and addresses, a factual summary of your claim, the dollar amount (up to $10,000 principal), and attach supporting documents like contracts, invoices, or photos. File the original plus two copies at the clerk's office, or submit through TrueFiling.

Form SC-2 / SC-2ANC (Summons) — The clerk completes and signs this after accepting your complaint. It's the official notice telling the defendant they've been sued and must respond within 20 days. You don't fill this out — the court issues it.

Form SC-3 (Answer, Counterclaim, Request for Change of Place of Trial) — This is the defendant's form. It goes out to the defendant along with your complaint, the summons, and the SC-100 handbook. The defendant uses it to admit or deny the claim, file a counterclaim, or request a venue transfer.

Form SC-4 (Affidavit of Service) — After serving the defendant, you file this to prove service was completed. Attach the signed certified mail return receipt (the green card) or the process server's formal return.

Form SC-8 (Default Affidavit and Request for Judgment) — If the defendant doesn't respond within 20 days, you file this to request a default judgment. You'll need to verify whether the defendant is on active military duty through the DOD SCRA database before the court will grant the default.

How to Fill Out Form SC-1

The complaint has four sections:

1. Caption — Enter the court city, then the full legal names and current contact details for every plaintiff and defendant. For businesses, use the exact legal entity name from the CBPL database (e.g., "Northern Construction, LLC" or "Jane Smith d/b/a Arctic Boutique").

2. Complaint paragraphs — Write a concise factual summary. What happened, when it happened, why the defendant owes you money. This isn't an essay — a few clear paragraphs covering the transaction, the amount, and why the specific court location is proper.

3. Relief requested — State the principal amount (up to $10,000), plus any request for pre-judgment interest and reimbursement of court costs.

4. Document attachments — Attach copies of contracts, invoices, receipts, bounced checks, or lease agreements. Redact Social Security numbers, driver's license numbers, and financial account numbers before filing.

If your claim exceeds $10,000, you can still file in small claims by waiving the excess on the form. You'll be limited to recovering $10,000 in principal, but you avoid the formal civil track.

Forms You Might Need Later

Form SC-9 (Dismissal) — If the defendant pays or you settle before the hearing, file this to close the case.

Form SC-13 (Default Judgment for Plaintiff) — The court issues this after granting your SC-8 default request.

Form SC-17 (Satisfaction of Judgment) — File this after the defendant pays the full judgment amount to release the record.

Form SC-18 (Stipulation to Pay Judgment in Installments) — If both sides agree to a payment plan, this formalizes it with court approval.

Form SC-23 (Request for Continuance) — If you need to postpone the hearing, file this as early as possible. Filing it doesn't automatically delay the hearing — the judge must approve it.

Form SC-24 (Request to Set Aside Default) — Used by defendants to undo a default judgment. They must file within a reasonable time and show a ground such as excusable neglect, mistake, fraud, or lack of notice.

Form SC-31 (Request for Telephonic Participation) — For hearings where a party or witness can't attend in person. This comes up often in Alaska given the distances involved.

The SC-100 Handbook vs. the SC-95 Information Sheet

These two cause confusion because they look similar but serve different purposes:

• SC-100 is the full Alaska Small Claims Handbook — a 40+ page document covering the complete procedure. It's sent to the defendant along with the summons.
• SC-95 is a two-page summary sheet that compares small claims to formal civil litigation. It's a quick reference, not a procedural guide.

Neither one is a form you file. Both are informational documents published by the court.

Filing Fee Forms

Form TF-920 (Request for Exemption from Payment of Fees) — If you can't afford the $50 or $100 filing fee, submit this with your complaint. The clerk holds your case in pending status until a judge reviews and approves the waiver. TF-920 covers court filing fees but not third-party costs like process server fees or certified mail postage.

All forms are available at the Alaska Court System forms portal, or through TrueFiling for electronic filing. The Alaska Small Claims Filing Guide walks through each form in order with field-by-field instructions.

See more Alaska guides →